7 'hot' events of the world in the past 24 hours

(Baonghean.vn) - Catalan people enter historic elections; North Korean soldiers cross the Demilitarized Zone to defect to South Korea; British Deputy Prime Minister Damian Green resigns;... are the outstanding international news of the past 24 hours.

1. Catalans head to historic elections

Catalans protest for independence. Photo: Reuters

On December 21, more than 80% of the 5.5 million voters in Catalonia will go to the polls in the most important election in the region's history.

December 21, 2017 will probably go down in history as one of the most important days in the region’s recent history. It was the day of early regional elections in Catalonia, 81 days after the illegal October 1 secession referendum and more than a month after Catalonia was stripped of its autonomy.

According to Spanish electoral law, parties ended their campaign activities on the afternoon of December 19, to give voters a "quiet" day before going to the polls.

2. North Korean soldiers cross the Demilitarized Zone to defect to South Korea

The demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the inter-Korean border. Source: AFP

A low-ranking North Korean soldier crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the inter-Korean border into South Korea on December 21, Reuters reported, marking the second defection by a North Korean soldier in five weeks.

The soldier crossed the inter-Korean border at around 8 a.m. local time, but North Korean forces did not fire.

Earlier on November 13, another North Korean soldier was shot and wounded by his comrades after crossing the border to defect to South Korea./.

3. British Deputy Prime Minister Damian Green resigns

Mr. Damian Green, Deputy Prime Minister and Chief of the Cabinet Office of the UK. Photo: Reuters

According to the Guardian (UK), Mr. Green was forced to resign on December 20 after admitting to lying about the existence of pornographic images on his computer at his office in the British House of Commons.

An inquiry led by cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood earlier found Mr Green's previous scathing denials after the Sunday Times reported a cache of indecent images had been found on his computer were "inaccurate and fraudulent".

4. Crazy car drives straight into crowd in Melbourne

The scene of the car crash seen from above. Photo: news.com.au.

A car ran a red light at the intersection of Elizabeth and Flinders streets in Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, at 4:30 p.m. on December 21 and hit several pedestrians. The accident injured at least 19 people. Melbourne police announced that they had arrested the driver and another person involved.

Images from the scene showed several people lying on the ground, next to a white vehicle.

Witness Sue said she heard screams and then saw people "flying around". "We heard a noise and looked to the left. We saw the white car knocking people down," she said. Witness Chris Gath said the car was travelling at about 70 km/h when it crashed into the crowd of 60 to 100 people crossing the street.

5. Ferry carrying more than 250 people sinks in the Philippines

Mercraft 3 ferry. Photo: Rappler.

The Philippine Coast Guard station in North Quezon reported the sinking of the Mercraft 3 ferry in the vicinity to the force's office in Manila at 11 a.m. on December 21.

AFP quoted Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Armand Balilo as saying the ferry had an accident off the town of Real, 70 km east of the capital Manila, while travelling from the port to Polillo island in bad weather conditions.

"We have heard reports of casualties but we are still verifying," Balino said. Helicopters and sea rescue vessels were deployed to the scene. "We believe the weather was the main cause."

Balino said the Mercraft 3 was carrying 251 people. The ferry is licensed to carry a maximum of 286 people. According to local radio, at least four people died and 140 were rescued.

6. Fitness center fire in South Korea, 29 people died

Firefighters at the scene. Photo: Yonhap

At least 29 people died and 26 were injured in a fire that broke out at a fitness center in the southern city of Jecheon on December 21. Firefighters said the fire started in a car in the basement before spreading throughout the building, Yonhap reported.

The victims were trapped in the sauna on the second floor. The Jecheon city government deployed 20 fire trucks and 50 firefighters to control the blaze. Some witnesses said the plume of smoke could be seen from 160 kilometers away.

The building was completely destroyed in the fire, and the vehicles in the basement were also burned down.

7.Türkiye arrests at least 55 suspects linked to IS

Turkish police stand guard at Taksim Square. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

Turkish police on December 21 arrested at least 55 people suspected of being linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in anti-terrorism operations in Istanbul and the western city of Izmir, local media reported.

According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, simultaneous operations were launched in 12 locations in Istanbul, where 45 foreign nationals believed to be planning attacks were arrested. In the remaining areas, police arrested 10 suspects.

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